~~ Biff's Baseball News '08 ~~

[Biff_Tannen]

Looking to post some good quotes and info before things get started this season. If you're going to bet the A's +250 on March 25th you gotta know what's being said... so I thought I'd start a post with what I'm looking at.

Feel free to contribute... let's just try and keep it professional.

--

Here's a quote I liked. I guess you can say this if you're Jake Peavy.


"... There's no division like ours in the league. People talk about the NL East, but they've got Florida and the Washington Nationals. The NL Central has the Pirates. Teams can beat up on those guys. That ain't happening over here."

JP - Padres Ace


On the crapper reading Sports Weekly who ran an article about how the NL West is getting stronger, even from last year, and I agree. A lot of young talent that should make an even bigger impact this year. In case you are wondering here's the lines on regular season wins I found offshore.


ARIZONA RSW o87½-115
DIAMONBACKS RSW u87½-115

COLORADO RSW o83-120
ROCKIES RSW u83-110

LOS ANGELES RSW o87-115
DODGERS RSW u87-115

SAN DIEGO RSW o84½-115
PADRES RSW u84½-115

SAN FRANCISCO RSW o72-125
GIANTS RSW u72-105


There's two I'm liking alot. Padres Over 84½ and the Giants Under 72
Padres had the division in their in their hands last year but hit a skid in the 2nd half and crashed and burned in the last 3 days. Nobody will forget that... I got the Padres pegged for at least 90 wins. I also think that in a division with good teams there HAS to be a bitch team. Like the Nationals or the Pirates. Peavy was right, but that sick donkey is definitely San Francisco, and despite getting Aaron Rowand, I think this team is going to sink this year. Zito is as far from an ace as you can get these days. And when Rowand is your 4 hole... you got problems. Not to mention Lowry just went down with elbow surgery. I have them closer to 65 wins this year. I don't see much value in the Rockies as they could very easily sink back down like they did after their last appearence to the playoffs in 95. And those numbers on the Dodgers and D-Backs are just too high. I never tried betting season win totals as injuries can swing 15 games for any team. Too risky for me. Just trying to put the season in perspective.

Anybody here put money down on these regular season win bets? Baby steps to April....

[V3r1f13d]

The NL West has the weakest division in all of MLB. They don't have one team that shines. They can finish the season with a .529 average and win the division. Peavy is a bad ass, but his comment is a joke.

[Biff_Tannen]

What I think they have is a competitive enough division to produce a team that can go on a winning streak like the Rockies did and make it to the World Series. They don't have bully teams. This is important as teams play their division teams down the stretch.

Big boys from the AL East play teams like Toronto, Baltimore, Tampa Bay.

Cleveland/Detroit beat up on Kansas City and Chicago.

Mets/Phillies have the Marlins and Nationals.

Cubs/Brewers have the Reds and Pirates.

I think they enter the playoffs soft. In the NL West, each team can throw a punch, and that makes winning all that more important I think. They are always in a tight division race, and come playoff time they are more focused than any team. Add that to the fact that they are young and have serious talent potential. So while I agree with you, I think its helping them develop as players to be in a more competitive division. Los Angeles finished 4th last year and now they are basically tied with Arizona to be 1st according to the oddsmakers. What other division has that?

[Daws1089]

what is funny is that often these upper tier teams struggle with the teams they should beat up on.. phillies and mets almost always struggle against florida and washington. Atleast the phillies do, but i know nym did too last year. The yankees always have a hard time with the orioles as well. So they really aren't beating up on them.